BALTIMORE
Our first glance the following morning fell on the stout little
"Timmins," who had moored up alongside. There she lay, the faithful
soul--and mounted guard over us.
Shortly after, at five o'clock, the doctor of the quarantine station
came along. I gave him up our health certificate, which had been
carefully made out for us on 13th June by Mr. William Thomas Fee, the
American Consul at Bremen. The doctor then examined the boat, and after
mustering the crew set us free, and ended up by giving three cheers for
the "Deutschland" and her crew.
The anchor was hauled up, and we travelled under the guidance of
"Timmins" towards our wharf and resting-place at Locust Point.
Never before, surely, has a boat travelled under such conditions as now
fell to our lot, guarded jealously by our "Timmins" and surrounded by
a crowd of boats specially hired by the various film companies. On each
boat five or six men stood ready with their cameras, and tried to rouse
us to suitable cinematograph poses by chaffing remarks.
"Show your face, Cap!"
"Turn your head round!"
"Wave your hand!" These and similar cries arose on every side, while the
fellows pushed and shoved and shouted like madmen.
I stood in the conning-tower and looked to right and left, waved both
hands, and had no need to force a laugh, for the wild movements of the
film hunters were indescribably funny.
Thus in the merriest of moods we reached our resting-place at Locust
Point.
Here our Captain Hinsch had spent weeks in making all ready for us. The
"Deutschland" found such a safe harbour, and was so protected by booms
and netting from the approach of any strange vessel, that according to
all human calculations nothing could possibly happen to her.
We lay inside a wooden pier built out into the stream, under cover of a
great shed, in which our destined cargo was already piled up in waiting
for us. The situation lay so apart that the connection of the pier with
the nearest good road must be first explained.
The whole position was shut off from the land by a big trench and a
steel wire fencing. In the stream itself the "Deutschland" was protected
by the pier and the North German Lloyd steamer "Neckar," which had lain
at Baltimore since the beginning of the war and now served us as a place
of residence, from which we could watch over our boat.
On the other side, surrounding the "Deutschland," a regular network of
heavy beams stretched out, with thick nets which reached to the bottom
of the water, so that it would be impossible even for a diver to get at
the boat. Moreover, day and night patrol-boats guarded the spot, among
them the "Timmins," which lit up the surrounding neighbourhood with her
little searchlight all night long.
Many amusing incidents occurred in connection with this.
In order that the unloading and reloading of the "Deutschland" should
proceed without observation, yet another high palisading had been
erected round the warehouse sheds which prohibited the least view of the
ship and loading place.
The only spot from which a glimpse of the wonderful boat, even at some
distance, could be obtained, was from a pile-driver which was anchored
in the stream, and which was immediately besieged by newspaper reporters
as a place of observation. Here they nested, holding us well in sight,
and keeping watch with the utmost regularity. Day and night two men
sat there continuously, perched high on the slender scaffolding of the
pile-driver, in sacrificial practice of their calling!
We were also at our posts. And at night, during the change of watch
yonder on the pile-driver, the searchlight operator of the "Timmins" had
his bit of fun by enveloping the reporters in beams of light and
thus politely "lightening their darkness" and assisting them in their
difficult task. As they climbed cautiously down from the scaffolding
they were each singled out by a beam of light, one after the other, like
spiders with a pocket lamp.
For the rest the gallant Captain Hinsch had seen to everything, from our
reception and safe guidance down to the provision for our wants on board
the "Neckar."
From this steamer only a favoured few were allowed a sight of the
"Deutschland," and that only from the outside. A visit to the boat was
strictly forbidden.
For her own sake we should have been glad and proud to show our
wonderful boat to everyone. For fear, however, of the risk of an attack,
which might easily arise on the German U-Boat trader if everyone had
been allowed an inspection, we dared not depart from our instructions
in this respect. And thus hundreds of Americans who had come great
distances, even from the west, in their motorcars, were obliged, much to
our regret, to depart without having achieved their object.
The cinematograph companies, however, did not go away entirely
empty-handed. I granted their wish to immortalise the crew of the
"Deutschland" on her first touching on American soil, and all of us were
photographed in a group on deck.
My first journey through the town resembled a triumphal entry. The car
was obliged to pull up continually. Everyone tried to shake me by the
hand and pour out their congratulations.
During the first few days in Baltimore I became simply an obstruction to
the traffic.
In this manner we proceeded slowly to the North German Lloyd agency,
which was surrounded by crowds of people.
The next step was to go through the necessary Custom House formalities.
I made my way therefore to the Customs House authorities, and got
through the usual examination; I was received on all sides in the most
hearty and friendly manner.
Then I went back to the agency and devoted all my sailor-like abilities
to the Press. I stood in the office of the North German Lloyd agency
behind the barrier of the booking bureau, on the other side of which
a huge crowd was pressing. I was quite alone, and had to hold my own
against hundreds of men and women, who each had some particular question
to put, from the most insignificant personalities up to the highest
region of politics.
One lady called out:
"Do tell me, Captain, what it is like in a submarine?" Another asked
with deep sympathy, "I say, is it true that in Germany the babies are
starving for want of milk?" While a gentleman of extremely well-fed
appearance showed his interest by the question, "Say, Captain, what do
you live on?"
I was also frequently asked: "What about the Emperor's message
you've brought over for Mr. Wilson?" To which I could give as little
information as to the question, "When do you think of leaving Baltimore
again?"
To all these and a hundred other questions I was obliged to make answer.
I stood there like a breakwater, the tide swirling round me, creeping
higher and higher, till my conscious self was almost swallowed up, only
on the following day to reappear in bits in endless Press notices all
over the world.
Meanwhile my body proceeded, somewhat fatigued, to the German club,
where we had been invited to celebrate our arrival at a purely German
gathering, during which our thoughts flew back with pride and love to
the struggling Fatherland over yonder.
* * * * *
The following days were in the nature of a continuous festivity for us.
Only those who know American hospitality and enthusiasm can form any
idea of the cordiality that greeted us on all sides.
The people went quite mad over us, and it did one's heart good to see
what genuine sympathy all the Americans showed over our journey and safe
arrival, and to hear how warmly they expressed their feelings on the
subject.
Everywhere we went we were enthusiastically received. They shook us
by the hand, sang the "Watch on the Rhine," and expressed their
appreciation by eloquent ovations. Invitations rained down on officers
and men, parties and feasts were held in our honour, and on one
occasion, when my two officers of the watch, who were walking with a
friend in some public gardens, became recognised, the concert music
suddenly stopped, a searchlight was flashed on to them, and amidst
general acclamation the band struck up the "Watch on the Rhine" and the
American National Anthem.
While the general public of all ranks and classes thus showed their
appreciation, the American Government were dealing with the official
side of the question as to whether our boat was to be regarded as a
merchantman pure and simple, or whether, in accordance with the urgent
protests of the English and French ambassadors, she would, in her
character of submarine alone, be regarded as a war vessel.
On the 12th July a Government Commission, consisting of three American
marine officers, came from Washington to inspect our "Deutschland"
thoroughly. As there was no sign of armament, or arrangements for
bringing any such on board, we were quite ready to show them over
everything.
After a three hours' inspection, during which every compartment and
corner were examined, and which cost the Commission officers many a drop
of perspiration during the crawling around in the glowing heat of the
boat, the Commission confirmed the purely mercantile character of the
"U Deutschland."
They were at no pains to conceal their admiration for the ingenious
construction of the whole boat, and expressed particularly the
staggering impression of bewilderment which the complicated mechanism of
all the works had made upon them.
In honour of the whole crew a German festival was started by the
many German-Americans of Baltimore, in aid of the Red Cross. This was
celebrated in Canstätter Park, a great public park near Baltimore, with
shooting galleries, sausage stalls, open stage, dancing ground, and
other forms of amusement in the open air. I must say our men stood
this test on land as well as they had that on the water. They acquitted
themselves bravely throughout this homage and were not awkward. When
dancing began they chose their partners without hesitation, and a couple
of smart fellows even danced with the ladies who had got up the fête, as
if they had been used to it all their lives.
* * * * *
On the 20th July the "Deutschland" received a visit from the German
ambassador, Count Bernstorff, who had come with several gentlemen from
the summer residence of the embassy to Baltimore.
We showed them over our gallant boat with pride, although an inspection
in the midst of the embarkation of her cargo and in the intense heat was
by no means an entirely delightful one.
On the evening of the same day, there was an official dinner given by
the Mayor of Baltimore, in honour of the visit of the German embassy,
preceded by a small luncheon party at the Germania Club House.
The dinner given by the mayor--a most amiable man--was of an exclusively
political character, and was only attended by politicians and officials.
There was a long succession of excellent courses and wines, and
according to American custom, with the appearance of the endless drinks
at the close of it, many speeches were made in which the arrival of
the "Deutschland" in America, and its importance in connection with
Baltimore and German-American friendship, were celebrated.
Then the municipal band appeared in the town gardens and played the
"Watch on the Rhine" and the American hymn, while the German and
American flags were crossed.
This was a pleasing symbol of friendship and understanding between the
two peoples whose interests both lay in the freedom of the seas.
* * * * *
While all these festivities were in progress, which took up nearly all
our evenings, the unloading of our boat had been completed, and the
embarkation begun.
This was quite a special chapter in itself. Messrs. P. H. L. and H. G.
Hilken, the representatives of the North German Lloyd at Baltimore, had
done everything in their power to make this extremely delicate part of
our task as easy and safe as possible for us.
They had not only acquired, on the quiet, all the goods for our return
cargo, and had them taken to the sheds ready for loading--it was a
jolly fine stock, too, and many who saw it wondered how on earth such
a quantity of goods could ever be stored away on a U-Boat--but they had
even procured the necessary and specially adapted loading and stocking
personnel--gangs of lightermen and dockers.
Much of the work on the boat and wharf was undertaken by niggers, who
were closely watched for the least sign of observation powers or other
dangerous faculties. Moreover, the niggers were closely searched each
time before they commenced work, and obliged to strip entirely, in order
to secure the boat against any attack.
The unloading was completed without any further difficulties.
The embarkation, however, was a more difficult matter. For this careful
calculations on the part of our expert submarine embarkation specialist,
shipping engineer, Prusse, of the Germania dock, were first necessary.
Every pound of the varying weights and sizes of the goods to be loaded
had to be reckoned up before being stowed in the space particularly
appointed for them, in order to prevent an unequal trimming of the boat.
An absolutely exact storing was necessary, inasmuch as the whole loading
space was very limited, and every box and sack must be held firmly in
its position. Otherwise the most unpleasant occurrences might arise,
either during a storm, by sudden submersions at a steep angle, or any
other incidents, which might seriously impede our navigation.
An embarkation of this kind therefore was bound to be a lengthy affair.
The whole cargo, sacks and boxes, had to be carried by hand by the
niggers through the narrow hatchways. The goods had first to be weighed,
piece by piece, each separately--the weighing-inspector taking notes
meanwhile and calling out the number of weights, which were then
carefully indexed.
This indexing was part of a specially thought-out plan, according to
which the whole packing was exactly carried out, and the accuracy of
this plan was then tested by a submersion and boat-trimming test, for
which our mooring-place had just sufficient depth of water.
For this test the crew all took up their submerging stations, the
submersion tanks were slowly opened and the boat flooded with just
sufficient water to make her float, the conning-tower hatch still
remaining above the surface.
In this way the hull of the boat is made to oscillate by means of the
different water loads of the two trimming tanks, and from this one can
judge if the balance of the boat is properly adjusted. If after this it
is found necessary to alter the weights, the cargo is moved accordingly.
One last submerging and trimming test must then follow, in order to make
sure that the loading of the whole boat agrees in every detail.
Thus her two thousand tons are brought into perfect adjustment in the
fluctuating displacement of the water.